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Coronavirus: High school athletes finding ways to stay in shape with gyms closed

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Treasure Coast Elite Assistant Football Coach Roscoe Barber (left) works with his team member Kamari Wilson during speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train. "It's important to work out like this to keep the guys out of trouble and to keep them in shape," Coach Roscoe said. "Keep them prepared so when we do get back to workouts and stuff they're not behind, they don't have to catch up, they can just stay on top of the game like they've been doing."
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ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Taihyun Mills, of the Fort Pierce Westwood High School football team, pulls in a pass during speed and agility training with Treasure Coast Elite Assistant Football Coach Roscoe Barber on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce.
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Caption Override
ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train
No credit
Caption Override
ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train
No credit
Caption Override
ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Auburn defensive back and Jensen Beach High School grad Jamien Sherwood works out with Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, on speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train. ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Auburn defensive back and Jensen Beach High School grad Jamien Sherwood works out with Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, on speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train. ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train
No credit
Caption Override
ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train
No credit
Caption Override
ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Auburn defensive back and Jensen Beach High School grad Jamien Sherwood works out with Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, on speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train
No credit
Caption Override
ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train
No credit
Caption Override
ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train
No credit
Caption Override
ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Coach Roscoe Barber, assistant coach for Treasure Coast Elite, works with high school and college players to do speed and agility training on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce. Since school weight rooms and gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roscoe brought players out on an open field to train
No credit
Caption Override
ERIC HASERT/TCPALM

Fort Pierce Westwood senior defensive end Gilber Edmond was doing early morning agility drills with a couple of defensive backs when one of them commented that it looked like he’d lost weight.

“He told me, ‘You’re getting skinny.’ I got smaller guys saying I look skinny now,” Edmond said. “I’m doing as many pushups, sit-ups and anything I can do with body weight, but I’ve already lost five pounds.

“I really want to get back in the weight room.”

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With schools and gyms closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Edmond, a South Carolina signee, and high school athletes around the state have not had access to weights or their normal training regimen.

Taihyun Mills, of the Fort Pierce Westwood High School football team, pulls in a pass during speed and agility training with Treasure Coast Elite assistant coach Roscoe Barber on the practice field of Dan McCarty Middle School on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Fort Pierce.(Photo: ERIC HASERT/TCPALM)

Edmond bulked up from a 179-pound wide receiver last spring to a 217-pound defensive force as a senior. Shortly after signing, South Carolina gave Edmond a workout plan, and he often posted videos of his 6 a.m. workouts — either in Westwood’s weight room or at the beach — on social media.

“It’s a bummer because you get so accustomed to working out and doing the same thing,” Edmond said. “I know it’s for the good, but being idle sucks. Right now, I’m doing field workouts or agility drills on a field wherever I can. It’s a totally different feel than running on the beach. I feel faster.”

Westwood coach Jeff George Jr. said he’s encouraging his players to do pushups and stay flexible. Many of his players, including top-ranked sophomore safety Kamari Wilson, send George videos of them working out each day.

“I know the guys who work out on their own,” George said. “I know the guys have a lot of intrinsic motivation. Other guys, I know I have to say something. And the younger guys, they don’t understand the culture. They haven’t been ingrained, so they’re probably on the couch right now. They’re not thinking about making sure they keep their grades up to par and stay in shape because eventually this will subside.”

John Carroll football coach Mickey Groody posted a video of himself working out in his garage Monday morning and encouraged his players to make sure they stay active.

Throughout the day, several John Carroll players responded with videos of themselves working out in various places.

“I was just trying to find ways of motivation,” Groody said. “Last week we were on break, and I found myself watching Netflix all day and I wanted to do something to get the kids up and going. We’ve gained so much in the weight room already this year, and I don’t want that to all go away. Hopefully, we can get our kids up and running.

“It’s tough not being with the kids. Even after our workouts, we provide our kids with shakes – especially the kids who have a hard time gaining weight. If a kid misses breakfast, I can give them a protein bar at school. I can’t do that now. I’m blessed that I’m with my family right now, but I’m definitely missing my football guys.”

Obviously, it’s not just football players who are looking for ways to stay in shape.

South Fork girls track coach Bonnie Fleming said several of her athletes have texted looking for suggestions on workouts they can do at home.

“If it’s a pole vaulter or something like that, there’s really not much they can do,” Fleming said. “Our distance girls are great. That’s easy peasy. They can just go run. If it’s a sprinter, I’ll give them something geared toward that. With the more technical events it’s a little harder. It’s a frustrating time.”

Vero Beach senior pitcher Nick Gorby, a Texas Tech commit who is hoping to be drafted in the top 10 rounds of the Major League Baseball draft, said he’s been able to stick to his normal routine with the exception for his long toss program.

“It’s a lot different, because it’s hard to not go to the gym or go to the field,” Gorby said. “I still get my arm care and throwing in. The hard thing with the scouts is you can’t schedule a workout for them to come see you. You can’t do anything with scouts.

“You have a lot of time on your hands. You find things to motivate you through this to keep you strong mentally or physically, so you can be prepared when the times it comes to do your job.”